Birthday
by accrossoverficwriter363
Summary: The Doctor takes River on an outing for her birthday, and as nearly always happens on trips like this, they get themselves into some kind of trouble.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: "Birthday"

**Summary**: The Doctor takes River on an outing for her birthday, and as nearly always happens on trips like this, they get themselves into some kind of trouble.

**Characters/Pairings**: The Doctor/River

**Spoilers**: None really.

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: None

**Disclaimer**: _Doctor Who_ is currently in the care of Steven Moffat

River hurriedly throws on a dress and shoes upon hearing the doorbell, then quickly makes her way out of her bedroom and down the hall to the stairway positioned across from the front door.

As she comes down the stairs, River calls, "I'll be right there!"

After reaching the front door, she takes a few moments to make herself a bit more presentable. When she has finished, she unlocks and opens the door.

Standing expectantly on the front porch is the Doctor, looking unusually under-dressed, at least for _this_ form of him. Instead of his customary ensemble, he is wearing a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt with the top button of the collar undone, a pair of dark brown slacks, and his black Loake boots.

As the Doctor walks into the house, River remarks, "You're early. That's new for you."

"It seems I was a bit _too_ early." The Doctor replies apologetically. "Sorry about that, dear." He adds, putting an arm around her and giving her a kiss.

"It's alright, Sweetie. I'm sure it was only because you were so eager to see me you couldn't wait any longer." River says with a slightly mischievous smile.

"You might say that, yes." The Doctor replies, the same hint of mischievousness in _his_ smile.

"That's what I thought." River tells him. Following that, she gives _him_ a kiss. After concluding it, she remarks, "You're dressed more casually than usual. Any particular reason?"

"Yes, actually. What I normally wear isn't exactly suited for where we're going and what we'll be doing." The Doctor answers. "Why? Do you not like it?" he asks.

"No, just the opposite— I like it very much. You don't look _nearly_ as stiff and uptight."

"I'm sorry, _stiff and uptight_? How is my usual attire 'stiff and uptight?'" the Doctor asks indignantly.

"Not the clothes _themselves_, dear— you always look _very_ dashing in them. I mean the way you _wear_ them."

"What in particular?"

"Your insistence on wearing your shirts buttoned all the way to the top." River answers. "And you can't tell me it's _comfortable_ to wear them like that."

"Oh, is that all?" the Doctor replies, smirking amusedly.

River nods.

"I'll consider it."

"I'm glad to hear it, because you _do_ need to relax a bit, dear." River teases.

A mischievous smile crosses the Doctor's face again, and he replies, "Oh, I'm _quite_ capable of doing that, darling, believe me."

"Are you now?" River asks, smiling back.

"Yes, most certainly." The Doctor answers.

"Then I'm _very_ much looking forward to seeing what a relaxed you is like." His wife says, draping her arms around his neck and kissing him a second time.

After concluding the kiss, River asks, "Should I change clothes, or will these do?"

The Doctor takes his hands out of the pockets of his slacks, puts them around River's waist, looks down at her, and answers, "You look lovely, but yes, you probably should."

"Alright, Sweetie, I'll be back shortly." River replies, removing her arms from around the Doctor's neck.

"Alright dear. I'll be right here." He says with a smile, letting go of her, then leaning nonchalantly against the banister of the stairway and putting his hands back in his pockets.

River smiles at him once more, then makes her way back up the stairs, briefly caressing his shoulder as she passes him.

When she returns a few minutes later, she is wearing a white, waist-length, button-up jacket over a white, long-sleeved, collared shirt, a pair of black trousers, and brown, ankle-length suede boots.

As she walks down the final few stairs, River, smiling, looks over at the Doctor and asks, "How is this?"

After straightening up from a slightly slouched posture, the Doctor looks over his shoulder at her and says with a smile, "Perfect."

He walks toward her as she steps off the final stair and onto the floor. Upon meeting his wife at the foot of the staircase, he puts his arms around her and adds, "And you _still_ look lovely."

"Thank you, Sweetie." She replies, giving him a brief kiss. "Would you care to give me any hints as to where we're going?" She asks mischievously.

"Most certainly _not_!"

"Why ever not?"

"_Because_, dear, it's supposed to be a surprise!" The Doctor scolds playfully.

"Oh, alright, you wicked man." River replies, smiling.

"The wait is going to be worth it, trust me."

"It had better be."

The Doctor laughs briefly, then says, "Oh it will, dear, it will."

With one arm still around River, the Doctor walks her to the door and opens it, then the couple strolls outside.

After the Doctor lets her go, River takes a moment to lock the door. Once she has finished, the couple walks the rest of the way to the TARDIS, then steps inside it.

...  
The TARDIS re-materializes moments later on top of a five-foot tall rocky outcrop in the midst of a flat, treeless plain surrounded by thick rainforest.

"Where are we?" River asks, stepping out of the TARDIS and looking around with interest.

"Mexico, during the height of the Mayan empire." The Doctor explains as he follows her out.

"It's beautiful! And those structures are enormous! What are they?"

"They're called steppe pyramids, and are used mainly for religious ceremonies and rituals. Magnificent, aren't they?"

"Yes." River agrees, nodding. "How exactly are they built?"

"There are a number of theories, but no one knows for sure. That, in addition to the true meaning of the final date on their calendar, is the greatest mystery about the Mayan civilization." The Doctor tells her.

"Oh, is _that_ why we're here?" River asks.

"No, it isn't." The Doctor answers, smiling. "As much as I would _enjoy_ trying to figure out _either_ of those, we unfortunately have to leave them for others to solve."

"That's a shame." River remarks. "But I suppose we can't have _all_ the fun." She adds with a smile.

The Doctor chuckles briefly, and after putting an arm around her and giving her a kiss, he says, "No, we shouldn't."

He glances up at the sky momentarily, then looks back down at River and tells her, "We should go, otherwise we'll miss it."

"Go where? And miss what?" she inquires curiously.

For a few moments, the Doctor says not a word, and then he answers, "Those pyramids below us? They're neither the largest nor the most sacred that exist in this period of Mayan history. There's a hint for you."

"Oh, I'm intrigued." River replies, smiling. "How might we get to the ones that _are_?"

"Are you willing to do a bit of walking?"

"With you, and around a place like this? You don't even need to ask, Sweetie."

Smiling, the Doctor replies, "Then we'd best get going. Would you like a hand, dear?"

"Yes, I would." River answers, holding out a hand. The Doctor grabs it, then briefly looks around for a path with secure footing.

After he sees one, he leads his wife down onto the ground below them, where they then set off for their destination.


	2. Chapter 2

By the time they have reached the mystery destination, the Doctor has taken off the gray cardigan he had been wearing and has rolled up his shirtsleeves, and River has taken off her jacket.

The Doctor once more glances up at the sky, and then he says, "We're just in time."

"In time for _what_, dear?" River asks, the tone of her voice mildly frustrated.

"You'll see." The Doctor answers, smiling enigmatically. "We should move over there. We'll have a _much _better view." He adds, leading River over to a spot immediately front and center in relation to the thirty-meter high steppe pyramid.

"It's impressive, but why is it considered so much more sacred than the others?" River asks.

Putting his right arm around her and pointing with his left hand, the Doctor answers, "See the carved snakeheads at the base of the part of the pyramid facing us?"

River nods.

"Watch what happens when the sunlight hits the stones lined up above them, starting at the top of the pyramid."

River takes the Doctor's suggestion and looks up. For the first few minutes, she sees nothing particularly notable, but she keeps such thoughts to herself. After half an hour has passed, she receives a partial answer to her question. As the rays of the sun illuminate each stone one by one, a pattern slowly takes shape along the length of the vertical rows they create.

Without taking her gaze from the spectacle occurring before their eyes, River exclaims in wonderment, "That's fascinating! Was that section purposely designed to make the light fall on the pyramid in _exactly_ that way?"

Nodding, the Doctor answers, "Yes. But that isn't the full extent of this phenomenon. Keep watching."

"My eyes haven't left it yet, Sweetie." River remarks in a playfully wry manner.

The Doctor chuckles briefly, then replies, "Yes, I noticed."

The couple watches silently during the remaining ten minutes it takes for the pattern of light to fully manifest.

When it has, the Doctor says, "There, it's done. Now, what do you see?"

For a few moments, River's gaze lingers on the section of the pyramid that is being discussed. Then, a look of realization arises in her eyes, and she answers, "It looks like a pair of snakes are slithering down the pyramid!"

The Doctor smiles, and then he replies, "Precisely! _Now_ do you understand why we came here, and why I refused to tell you anything about what we would be doing?"

River changes her observation spot so she is facing her husband. Then, smiling and putting her arms around him, she says, "Yes, I do. It was a wonderful surprise, dear." To _further_ indicate how much she liked the surprise, River gives the Doctor a kiss.

"I thought you would like it, since your field of research is archaeology." The Doctor, still smiling, replies after they have concluded the kiss.

"I thought you said archaeology was ridiculous." River teases.

The Doctor laughs briefly, then says, "Oh, it is, _extremely_, but I would never allow that opinion to inform my judgment about the best way to make your birthday a memorable occasion." To reassure River of the sincerity of his statement, the Doctor kisses _her_.

"I know." River replies, smiling. "Where to now, dear?" she asks.

"Back to the TARDIS."

"For?" River inquires quizzically.

"To pick up our lunch, dear." The Doctor answers, smiling drolly.

"Oh, that's fine, then." River says pleasantly.

"Did you really think visiting this site was _all_ I had planned, you silly woman?" The Doctor replies affectionately. "You know me better than that." He adds, smiling.

"Well you haven't exactly been forthcoming about today's plans, dear." River remarks, smiling as she fiddles with the Doctor's cardigan, which he had earlier rolled up, then tied loosely about his neck like an oversize scarf.

"But now that I know _why_, I'm willing to forgive you."

"I'm pleased to hear that." The Doctor tells her, putting his arms around her, then giving her another kiss. "Are you ready to go back to the TARDIS, or would you like to look around here a bit longer?"

"Yes, I am." River answers. "We _have _done quite a lot of walking, and I'm a bit parched." She adds somewhat flirtatiously.

"Well we can't have that." The Doctor replies, smiling. "We should return to the TARDIS _immediately_."

"Yes, I believe we should." River remarks, smiling back. She follows up her comment with a brief kiss, and then the couple, hand in hand, starts the long walk back to the TARDIS.


End file.
